Fall’s Biggest Bounty

I check out one of Illinois’ most notable family farms, which boasts 20,000 apple trees.

Photos at Jonamac Orchard by Matt Lowell

It’s great to see family farms thriving again. They’ve been through a rough few years, so to see Jonamac Orchard at full capacity over the weekend was refreshing.

The apples I bought at my local grocery store were pale in comparison to the ones I personally picked at Jonamac. The grocery store’s selection was oversized and lacked flavor, which was probably due to the fact that they traveled all the way from Washington state.

Jonamac boasts 20,000 apple trees, and many were ripe for picking, including Golden Delicious, Ida Red, SunCrisp, Gala and Jonathan. But what’s fantastic about Jonamac Orchard, which is approximately one-and-a-half hours west of downtown Chicago in Malta, Illinois, is that there’s more to do here than pick apples.

First, it’s family friendly and great for adult groups. There’s pumpkin picking; hayrides; live music; a few food trucks, including one serving BBQ; a petting zoo; a cider house where you can taste and buy the farm’s hard ciders, apple-infused wines and more; and a cute little country shop filled with warm apple cider doughnuts, apple cider, caramel apple pies, handmade caramel apples, local honey and apple butters.

Second, there are nighttime activities as well, which includes the popular campfire and a haunted corn maze. These events typically attract people who live closer to the area.

Activities at the farm run through November, but check for hours, tickets, etc. We were super lucky to be able to walk up and buy tickets on an early Saturday afternoon. Shortly after we arrived, the owners closed the ticket box.

So buy them in advance!